dates, risk groups and how to make an appointment

On Tuesday, October 1, a vaccination campaign against influenza and COVID-19 corresponding to the 2024-2025 season among users of nursing homes began in La Rioja. The Minister of Health and Social Policy, Maria Martin, and the Director General of Public Health, Consumption and Care, Eva Martinez, explained the vaccination protocol in La Rioja and helped administer the first doses to residents of the residence. El Sol de Logroño.

A joint influenza and COVID-19 vaccination campaign begins this week among populations most at risk of severe illness from these diseases. Thus, as happened last year, doses are starting to be systematically administered to nursing homes in La Rioja, as well as to children aged 6 to 59 months. In previous seasons, only those who belonged to risk groups were vaccinated.

Maria Martin assured that “a new thing in this campaign will be the implementation of intranasal influenza vaccination at the school level in Logroño, with the aim of increasing the availability of the vaccine for minors attending the 1st and 2nd years of preschool education. campaign is progressing, walk-in vaccination will be offered to children aged 6 months to 4 years, including both, as we did last year on Saturdays at CIBIR as part of the Emergency Plan launched in response to the rise in respiratory infections.” – he said. reminded.

This year, as an innovation, all activities related to the vaccination campaign have been postponed by about a month, and during this week all information will be available under the slogan “A small dose for a big life: get vaccinated.” ! both on the website of the government of La Rioja, Rioja Salud, and in health centers, social health centers and schools. This coordinated communication action aims to prevent respiratory infections, promote health and improve the quality of life of all Riohan residents.

For this reason, Martin addressed society at large and the target population in particular, since “vaccination is the most effective measure to protect yourself and the most vulnerable in the population, and the only way to reduce the impact of influenza and COVID-19.” 19 such as morbidity and mortality or its impact on health and social health capacity.”

Target audience: people over 60 years old; institutionalized people; people over 12 years of age with pathologies; pregnant cohabitants of vulnerable people; staff of medical and social health centers; and essential government service personnel.

In turn, Director General of Public Health Eva Martinez clarified that in the case of children, influenza vaccination is indicated for all children aged 6 to 59 months, as well as risk groups over this age. In turn, when vaccinating minors aged 6 months to 12 years against COVID-19, priority will be given to vaccinating people with conditions associated with an increased risk of severe disease and their household partners.

In addition, the Director General of the Ministry of Health recalled that this year the campaign to immunize Rioja babies against bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues. It will be given to children born between April 2024 and March 2025; Children born between October 2024 and March 2025 will receive it at the hospital before going home, and children born between April and September 2024 will receive it at their regular health center during October.

Likewise, he noted that during the previous campaign, coverage of about 80% was achieved among the population aged 75 years and above; almost 70% of the population is aged 65-74; 92.55% in elderly people living in nursing homes and about 70% in pregnant women. The Director of Public Health insists she wants to collate and improve data from the campaign, particularly for the 60-64 year old population and health and social care staff, and strengthen flu vaccination strategies. high risk groups.

Vaccination dates

Dates for the vaccination campaign against influenza and COVID-19 in the 2024-2025 season. will be as follows:

– People placed in nursing homes: starting from the first week of October.

– Population 6 to 59 months: launched in the first week of October.

– People aged 85 years and older: will begin in the second week of October.

– Health and social care professionals: will begin on the second of October.

– Rest of the population and risk groups: will begin in the third week of October.

The vaccination campaign will take place in health centers and offices of the Rioja Health Service. The campaign will continue as long as the virus remains in circulation and subject to the availability of vaccines. You can make an appointment by calling Salud Responde 941298333 or by visiting the health center or office.

The Autonomous Community of La Rioja has purchased 109,000 flu vaccines for the 2024-2025 campaign. Regarding COVID vaccines, La Rioja has about 45,000 doses, to which the Ministry will add more doses in the coming weeks. All vaccines are tailored to the strain currently circulating.